Plastic Surgery

You may be a candidate for this procedure if you have "chipmunk cheeks" or "chubby cheeks" even if you are not overweight.

This procedure can be done in 15-30 minutes in the office under local anesthesia or under general anesthesia and can be combined with neck liposuction or other procedures. Dr. Kalaria injects local anesthesia (the same medication that dentist's use to numb your mouth) through the inside of the cheeks. She makes 2 small incisions on the inside of your mouth and teases out the fat from the deep buccal fat pad. She closes the incisions using absorbable sutures.

You can expect 1-2 weeks of bruising and swelling of the cheeks and lower face. You can use arnica and ice and your compression garment to maximize results.

The goal of a mommy makeover is to restore a woman's pre-pregnancy body with a combination of breast and body procedures.

Good candidates for a mommy makeover procedure have a stable weight and are under a BMI of 33 with no serious medical conditions. Women with saggy breasts or loss of volume after breast feeding/pregnancy are good candidates for breast augmentation with or without a breast lift. These breast procedures can be combined with abdomen procedures including a tummy tuck and likely liposuction. Other procedures that can be combined with a mommy makeover are labiaplasty, buttock augmentation, arm lift, thigh lift, liposuction, and even face or neck procedures.

These procedures usually take 3-6 hours to perform under general anesthesia. Dr. Kalaria uses advanced techniques to prevent infection and to close the incisions meticulously to produce minimal scarring. You will go home the same day after surgery and will recover at home until your next follow up appointment in 1-3 days.

Patients should walk in the bent-over position for 2 weeks after tummy tuck surgery. Dr. Kalaria recommends 2 weeks off of laborious work and 4-6 weeks off of physical exercise. Lymphatic massages are also extremely helpful and can be started 1 week after surgery. At one month, half of the swelling has resolved and by 3 months, the majority of the swelling has resolved. During this time a compression garment is essential.

The goal of upper blepharoplasty is to improve the appearance of the upper eyelids.

Good candidates for upper blepharoplasty have excess skin of the upper eyelids which can be hanging over the eyelid impairing vision or can be touching the eyelashes.

This procedure can be done in the office under local anesthesia or under general anesthesia and can be combined with other procedures like a brow lift. Dr. Kalaria injects local anesthesia (the same medication that dentist's use to numb your mouth) to the upper eyelids. She cuts the excess skin and muscle and occasionally removes bulging fat. She closes the incisions meticulously. You can expect immediate improvement in the excess skin of the upper eyelids.

You can expect 1-2 weeks of bruising and swelling around the eyes. You can use arnica and ice to maximize results. You can wear makeup in 1 week to cover the incisions. By 6 weeks your incisions will start to fade and return to normal color. You can expect full results in 6 months to 1 year.

The goal of lower blepharoplasty is to improve the appearance of the lower eyelids.

Good candidates for lower blepharoplasty have puffy bags under the eyes.

Dr. Kalaria prefers to perform this procedure under general anesthesia as it involves making an incision on the inner part of the eye to access the fat. This fat is removed conservatively. No stitches are placed on the inside of the eye mucosa. Skin tightening can be accomplished with a skin excision or laser which can be done concurrently.

You can expect 1-2 weeks of bruising and swelling around the eyes. You can use arnica and ice to maximize results. You can wear makeup in 1 week to cover the incisions. By 6 weeks your incisions will start to fade and return to normal color. You can expect full results in 6 months to 1 year.

The goal of a facelift/necklift is to provide a more youthful appearance to the face/neck.

Good candidates for a facelift or necklift are non-smokers who are in good health and have sagging or loose skin of the lower face, jowls, or neck.

A facelift is performed in the operating room under general anesthesia and can be combined with a necklift. It usually takes 4-6 hours to accomplish. Dr. Kalaria uses a variety of techniques tailored to each individual patient to achieve the best result.

You can expect 1-2 weeks of bruising and swelling. You will likely have a drain which will be removed the day after surgery. Stitches will be removed in one week. You can use arnica and ice to minimize swelling. You can wear makeup in 1 week to cover the incisions. By 6 weeks your incisions will start to fade and return to normal color. You can expect full results in 6 months to 1 year.

The goal of a labiaplasty is to reduce the size of the labia minora.

Good candidates for a labiaplasty have enlarged labia minora, tears of the labia after childbirth/trauma, or asymmetric labia. Enlarged labia can cause a variety of problems including yeast infections, bacterial vaginosis, urinary tract infections, chafing, skin tears, discomfort during intimacy, visibility in tight clothing, itching, self-consciousness, and difficulty maintaining good hygiene. If you have experienced any of these problems, you may be a good candidate for labiaplasty.

A labiaplasty can be performed under local or general anesthesia depending on patient comfort level. Dr. Kalaria uses 2 different techniques depending on the size and shape of the labia minora in order to remove the excess skin and produce a natural appearance. She closes the incisions meticulously using absorbable sutures to minimize discomfort during your follow up visit.

You can expect 1-2 weeks of bruising and swelling of the labia. Dr. Kalaria recommends ice packs to the labia and minimizing being on your feet especially during the first week after surgery. She also recommends urinating while standing in the shower and minimizing wiping or rubbing the incisions. You should refrain from physical exercise for 4-6 weeks and sexual intercouse for at least 6 weeks. You can expect full results in 3-6 months.

The goal of liposuction is to reduce the volume of fat in a given area to improve the contours of the body.

Good candidates for liposuction are generally healthy, nonsmokers, with a BMI below 33 and without excess/hanging skin or stretch marks. Liposuction candidates are both men and women who have stubborn fat areas like the "love handles" which have not resolved with diet/exercise. Liposuction can be performed to any area with excess fat including the face, neck/chin, arms, armpits, buffalo hump, bra roll, flanks/"love handles", chest, abdomen, back, pubis, hips, thighs, saddlebags, banana rolls, legs and ankles. Liposuction is not a weight loss procedure and is not effective for excess skin, stretch marks, or cellulite.

Liposuction can be performed under local anesthesia for a small area or general anesthesia for larger or combined areas. It involves making small 1/2cm incisions and inserting a cannula to suck the fat out. Dr. Kalaria performs power-assisted liposuction and can combine this with moderate skin tightening using a variety of devices. The incisions are closed meticulously and you may have a drain depending on the amount of liposuction done.

You can expect 2-3 weeks of swelling. Lymphatic massages are essential and should begin 1 week after surgery. A compression garment worn for at least 3 months is also mandatory to maximize results.

The goal of a breast augmentation is to improve the volume and shape of the breasts using either implants or fat transfer.

Good candidates for breast augmentation are generally healthy and are seeking an increase in cup size of the breasts. Additionally some patients have asymmetry of the breasts, tuberous breasts, inverted nipples, sagging breasts, or enlarged areolas that can also be corrected during a breast augmentation.

Dr. Kalaria performs a breast augmentation in around 1 hour under general anesthesia. She has extensive training in performing the augmentations through incisions under the breast, in the areola, or through the armpit. She can place the implants under or over your muscle depending on your anatomy and desire and can use saline or silicone implants. She will listen to your goals and will allow you to choose your own implant size. Her incisions are meticulously closed and no drains are used. You will be sent home after surgery to recover.

You will follow up after 1-2 days, 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and yearly after surgery. You will be instructed on how and when to begin massaging the implants and when to apply silicone to the scars. You can expect the implants to be very high and firm a couple of weeks after surgery. You will notice the implants will drop and soften around 6 weeks and will be close to their final position in 3 months. You should refrain from exercise for 4-6 weeks and refrain from an underwire bra for 3 months.

The goal of a breast lift is to remove the excess skin of the breast and lift the nipple position to a more aesthetic location.

Good candidates for a breast lift are generally healthy and are seeking to lift the breasts and reduce the size of the areolas. Some women experience sagging of the breasts after weight loss, pregnancy, or breast-feeding and would like a perkier appearance with the breasts no longer sitting on the chest wall. A breast lift will rearrange the breast tissue to provide more cleavage, better shape, lifted nipple position, and smaller areola. It can be combined with a breast implant, fat grafting, or other body procedures. The ideal candidate will be up-to-date on her mammograms with no suspicious lesions.

A breast lift takes around 2.5-3H to perform under general anesthesia. Dr. Kalaria is extensively trained in breast lifts and uses her own technique to provide good cleavage and volume both with and without using an implant. The incisions for a full breast lift are around the areola, vertically under the breast, and horizontally in the breast fold giving the classic anchor-shaped incision. Variations of this full breast lift may be done if a smaller lift is desired. Dr. Kalaria uses only absorbable sutures for this procedure so you will not require painful removal of sutures during your follow-up visits. Her incisions are meticulously closed and no drains are used. You will be sent home after surgery to recover.

You can expect 2 weeks of recovery time where you should refrain from chest exercises and activities that put pressure on your chest/breasts. You should refrain from driving for 1-2 weeks after surgery and physical exercise for 4-6 weeks after surgery. You should wear a soft bra for 3 months and avoid underwire bras for 3 months.

The goal of a breast reduction is to decrease the size and weight of the breasts.

Good candidates for a breast reduction are generally healthy and are seeking to reduce the size of their breasts due to a number of problems including back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, shoulder grooving, rashes underneath the breasts, difficulty finding bras that fit, and skin breakdown. The ideal candidate will be up-to-date on her mammograms with no suspicious lesions.

A breast reduction takes around 3H to perform under general anesthesia. Dr. Kalaria is extensively trained in breast reductions and uses her own technique to provide good cleavage and volume without an implant. The incisions for a breast reduction are typically around the areola, vertically under the breast, and horizontally in the breast fold giving the classic anchor-shaped incision. Variations of this full breast reduction may be done if a smaller reduction is desired. A breast reduction includes not only a reduction in the size of the breasts, but also a breast lift and an areola reduction. Also, the breast tissue is sent for pathological evaluation after the surgery. Dr. Kalaria uses only absorbable sutures for this procedure so you will not require painful removal of sutures during your follow-up visits. Her incisions are meticulously closed and no drains are used. You will be sent home after surgery to recover.

You can expect 2 weeks of recovery time where you should refrain from chest exercises and activities that put pressure on your chest/breasts. You should refrain from driving for 1-2 weeks after surgery and physical exercise for 4-6 weeks after surgery. You should wear a soft bra for 3 months and avoid underwire bras for 3 months.

The goal is to remove the breast implants.

Good candidates for breast implant removal are otherwise healthy, but would like their implants removed due to a number of potential reasons including asymmetry, rupture, deflation, leak, back pain, size change, concerns during breast imaging, fear of breast implant illness, fear of BIA-ALCL, breast sagging, or other health conditions.

Breast implant removal can be performed in 30-60 minutes under local anesthesia or general anesthesia depending on the complexity of the procedure, type of implants, and patient comfort. Dr. Kalaria will use your previous incisions to access the implant and will remove the implant completely. She will close the incision meticulously using absorbable sutures so you will not require painful removal of sutures during your follow-up visits. You will be sent home after surgery to recover.

You can expect 1-2 weeks of bruising and swelling. You will be sent home in a surgical bra and should keep this on until your follow up appointment. You should refrain from driving for 1 week after surgery and physical exercise for 4-6 weeks after surgery. You should wear a soft bra for 3 months and avoid underwire bras for 3 months. Full recovery can be expected in 3 months.

The goal of a tummy tuck is to remove excess skin and fat of the lower abdomen, reshape the belly button, and restore the separated abdominal muscles to create a flatter abdominal profile with good contours.

Good candidates for a tummy tuck have a stable weight and are under a BMI of 33 with no serious medical conditions and have excess skin of the lower abdomen region. Tummy tuck candidates can be male or female. Additionally, women with either vaginal births or c-sections are candidates if they notice stretch marks around the belly button or on the lower abdomen, excess skin or fat of the abdomen, "pooch" of the lower abdomen, skin hanging over the c-section scar, or a pannus.

These procedures usually take 2-3 hours to perform under general anesthesia. Dr. Kalaria makes an incision from hip to hip and dissects up to the bottom of the breast bone underneath the skin of the abdomen. She sews the abdominal muscles back together and pulls down and cuts off the excess skin and fat which usually hang over the c-section scar. She creates a new belly button using her own technique to give a natural and hidden appearance. She also uses advanced techniques to prevent infection and to close the incisions meticulously to produce minimal scarring. In 90% of tummy tuck patients, liposuction will be done to create sculpted lines and contours. You will go home the same day after surgery and will recover at home until your next follow up appointment in 1-3 days.

Patients should walk in the bent-over position for 2 weeks after tummy tuck surgery. Dr. Kalaria recommends 2 weeks off of laborious work and 4-6 weeks off of physical exercise. Lymphatic massages are also extremely helpful and can be started 1 week after surgery. You will have 2 drains which will be removed in 1-2 weeks post-operatively. In one month, half of the swelling will resolve and by 3 months, the majority of the swelling will resolve. During this time a compression garment is essential.